How Does Holden's Red Hunting Hat Symbolize

In The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger frequently highlights Holden’s attempts to protect himself from the harshness of reality by alienating himself from emotional connections with those he cares about. Holden distances himself from others by implying that he is superior from the phoniness around him, as well as intentionally avoiding confrontation with others. These actions have lead to an unstable and erratic life, such as his repeated expulsions and his situation in the rest home. He has also developed a critical flaw in his ability to address conflict and problems. Holden’s red hunting hat serves to show his desire to be seen as different from everyone else, as well as his hesitation to be so drastically separate from society. Holden’s intentional alienation is an adverse self defense mechanism that is preventing him from leading a stable life and addressing conflicts, and introduces an internal conflict represented by his red hunting hat. Holden uses alienation as a form of protection from any harmful aspects of life, including confrontation, rejection, and failure. He does this frequently throughout the novel when he considers calling Jane, “I started toying with the …show more content…
He ended up in a fight with Stradlater over his jealousy for Jane, and was in Ackley's room reflecting upon it, “I didn't answer him. All I did was, I got up and went over and looked out the window. I felt so lonesome, all of a sudden. I almost wished I was dead” (Salinger). By engaging in a fight with Stradlater, Holden further alienates himself from his friends before he leaves. However, he realizes the severity of his actions and reflects on how lonely his isolation makes him feel. Furthermore, his fight with Stradlater shows how he could not find a healthy way to cope with his feelings of jealousy, and instead chose to isolate himself further from the